Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Delicious nutrition doesn't have to be an oxymoron

Restaurants do their part to offer healthy menus

There was once this popular saying in Louisiana, “If it’s
good with a pat of butter, it’s better with a stick of butter.” But with
soaring American obesity rates in recent years, that saying isn’t even comically
muttered, especially in reference to our rich sauces and our cultural affinity
to fry everything from delicious Gulf seafood to cupcakes.

The industry is taking active steps to assist restaurant patrons
in making wiser ordering decisions, while still appreciating the need to treat
ourselves. While some restaurants don’t always offer a large array of healthy
options, we should all take responsibility for what we put in our mouths and
how much exercise we partake in each day. Recently, though, restaurants have
been doing more.

“Participation in the Kids LiveWell program has exploded in
a short period of time, with restaurant companies from across the industry
eager to showcase their healthful choices,” said Sweeney. “As a result, parents
are finding a growing selection of healthful children’s menu options of fruit
and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and low-fat dairy products.”

“We are working to increase Kids LiveWell participation by
our independent restaurants to help further their marketing efforts and increase
traffic from diners looking for healthy menu offerings,” said Pam St. Pierre,
Louisiana Restaurant Association VP of Member Services. “As a mother of three, I consider the healthfulness
of everything my children eat. When we dine out at a restaurant, it’s important
to me that they have healthy options.”

The Kids LiveWell program benefits both restaurateurs and
guests. Participating restaurants get third-party verification and promotional
materials for qualified meals and individual menu items. Parents and caretakers
get accurate information to help them make informed decisions about their
child’s meal. The program also received a 2012 Gold Circle Award by the
American Society of Association Executives.

In a recent LRA interview with
Baton Rouge’s Jr. Food Critic, a 12-year-old self-professed foodie, Michael
Prados shared that he thought restaurants did a really good job offering
healthy menu choices and that he tries to consider the healthy aspect of what
he orders.

"Many restaurants have
made an effort to provide targeted health conscious food options, however
without moderate portion sizes, most options are worse than the food they may
already serve," said Ben Eckelson, Louisiana ProStart student. "I applaud the effort of restaurants that promote healthier
choices."

“Our Eat Fit NOLA menu reflects a healthier version of many
of our classic New Orleans dishes,” said Gus Martin, Executive Chef, Muriel’s
Jackson Square. “We worked especially hard to keep the integrity of the dishes
without losing any of the flavor.”

Eat Fit NOLA’s entrée or entrée salad must contain less than
500 calories, less than 600 mg of sodium and less than 10 percent of calories
from saturated fats, among others. Specific criteria for an appetizer,
soup, salad or dessert is also included in the program.